1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to book leaf structures. In particular, it relates to integral storage compartments for storage of multiple media types which can be attached to a conventional book leaf or fabricated as a book leaf having an integral multiple media storage compartments. The multiple media types include two dimensional and/or three dimensional storage compartments and data entry areas associated with the storage compartments.
2. Background Art
A popular application for books which allows the user to write personal information in the book is a diary. While many individuals maintain diaries, they are not able to keep important items that may relate to the diary entry in the book. As a result, these items become separated and perhaps lost. In the case of delicate items, such as flowers from special occasions, etc., the items can be easily destroyed. Further, the prior art diaries do not provide the ability to ensure that items, such as the flowers discussed above, are not lost or separated from the diary. It would be advantageous to have a diary which allows the user to make personal entries while at the same time providing secure storage for related items.
In addition to diaries, many business activities would benefit from the ability to integrate storage of two or three dimensional items in combination with written information such that the written information and physical items would not become separated and such that the physical items could be visually examined without the wear and tear associated with handling. One such activity is the organization of collectibles. Fragile items such as stamps could be easily damaged by mishandling. Even items which have relatively durable structures, such as coins, can be devalued by handling if the oils from a user's hand oxidizes the metal. The prior art has failed to provide a secure integral storage device capable of integrating one or more collectibles with a written description that can be updated by the user to form a complete sample of the item in question and then allowing items to be combined and organized to form a complete collection. It would be advantageous to have a device capable of organizing collectibles in such a manner.
Another activity is the organization and storage of evidence for legal uses. It is important to secure evidence properly to ensure that it is not damaged or altered. Also, the ability to store the evidence with a written description would be valuable for future use, since it would prevent accidental mishandling caused by someone who did not understand the significance of the item. In addition, legal issues often require the use of multiple items. As the number of items increases, the possibility that individual items may be lost or damaged increases. Further, it becomes increasingly difficult to organize evidence as the number of evidence samples grows. The prior art has failed to provide a secure integral storage device capable of integrating one or more items of evidence with a written description to form a complete evidence record and then allowing multiple evidence records to be combined and organized to form a complete record of a case. It would be advantageous to have a device capable of organizing evidence in such a manner.
In like manner, samples or specimens for medical or scientific uses are also more useful when combined with written descriptions. The ability to organize samples and make notes that will be secured to the sample container ensures that information will not be accidentally separated from the samples at a later time. In addition, scientific observation often requires that an object be observable from all angles. The prior art has failed to provide a device which secures a sample, provides an attached description field, and allows samples to be viewed from both front and rear.
The prior art has also attempted to use books to teach and/or provide entertainment. One type of book which has been used for both of these purposes is the sticker book used by small children. This book structure provides a child with a book that has blank areas and a collection of associated stickers. As the child reads the book, stickers related to the story are placed in the book at the appropriate blank spaces. The advantage of this book structure is that it increases the child's attention and interest in the book due to its interactive nature. However, since the stickers can be used only once, the advantage of this technique is lost after the first use.
Another book structure which has similar purposes is the book which has pre-printed names or information. This structure is intended to increase a child's interest by incorporating the child's name and other personal information. For example, the name of the child's pet, the child's address and age, etc., may be used in conjunction with a standard story shell to produce a book which appears to be custom written for the child. This book structure enhances the child's interest in the story due to the personal nature of the presentation. The drawback to this structure is that it does not allow any interactivity and is not modifiable once completed.
One known book structure, that attempts to provide similar benefits, uses photo retainers to hold a photo of the child. This increases the child's interest by making the book more personalized. The photos used with the book can be selected to coincide with the particular story line (i.e., facial expression, clothing worn in the photo, etc). An additional advantage is provided if the photo retainer can be easily used by the child. If the child replaces the photos in the book, then the interactive nature of the book will increase the child's attention and further encourage use of the book.
In the area of general education, the prior art has not provided a convenient method of combining text with physical samples for study and/or experimental purposes. When studying a particular field, it is often advantageous to be able to make notes on an ongoing basis. For example, the ability to update a description as changes in the sample are observed can be important for a particular experiment. The prior art has failed to provide an integrated device capable of organizing and maintaining experiment samples with integral description fields that can be altered at the user's convenience.
While providing some examples of using book structures as interactive devices, the prior art has focused on book structures which are inflexible in that they are designed to hold information which not alterable once entered. Further, the prior art books are designed to hold two dimensional objects such as photos, but do not provide the ability to simultaneously hold two and three dimensional objects, allow viewing from both sides, and allow information to be entered regarding objects stored in the book.